Stuart Pearce, the Under-21s coach, was frustrated that the talented likes of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain were not available to him.

The Ox Factor has become a matter of intense debate after Pearce’s side tumbled out of the European Under-21 Championship here without their best players like the Arsenal winger and Phil Jones, who were involved in the senior friendly in Rio last week. Their failure looks certain to cost Pearce his job.

“We made one policy decision: if we asked senior players to play against Republic of Ireland and Brazil they would not play in one of the development tournaments,” said David Bernstein, the Football Association chairman.

“It’s a policy that needs to be addressed. We need to re-look at the strategic approach to all these tournaments. Whether that would lead to a different view on the sort of specific issues you are talking about remains to be seen.

"After all, Oxlade-Chamberlain played half an hour of one match, he got the flavour of Brazil, which was important, and did remarkably well in that half an hour. He possibly saved a match that we might have lost.”

Oxlade-Chamberlain played 87 minutes against the Republic at Wembley, acquiring useful game-time working with Wayne Rooney. He then flew overnight to Rio, starting on the bench, coming on for Glen Johnson after 61 minutes and scoring a fine goal.

“I’m sure Roy was extremely happy to have him there,” Bernstein said. “You have always got to support the England senior manager in the pressure that he is under of wanting his strongest squad.

"A lot of people would say it was a very important game, a dry run for the World Cup. Nobody can argue that the World Cup shouldn’t take priority.”

From Oxlade-Chamberlain’s perspective, he is now closer to reboarding the flight to Rio next summer – if England manage to qualify.

An intelligent individual who thinks about his career development, he could have become an even more tournament-tuned player had he gone to the Under-21s as well. He cannot be exhausted, having made only 17 starts and 16 substitute appearances for Arsenal last season.

It can be done. Admittedly over far fewer miles. Blackburn’s Josh King journeyed from Tirana where he had been with Norway’s seniors to Tel Aviv.

“I flew down, had six hours sleep and got back with the Under-21s team,” King said.

As Phil Neville says, it is down to the individual player. It is his career.

“We wouldn’t have asked those players to travel across the Atlantic, play in a hot climate and then play here,’’ Bernstein argued. “As far as I know, there was no pressure from the clubs.

"It was a policy of our own. I also absolutely support these tournaments, they’re fantastic, the players benefit from being here, so I can understand Stuart’s frustration. But I still support both. If the two clash, the England senior team simply has to have priority.”

Bernstein was talking at a joint-initiative in Netanya between the FA, the Israel FA and New Israel Fund’s Kick It Out – Football for All project.

England players Marvin Sordell, Jason Steele, Declan Rudd and Nathan Delfouneso joined in training with local children who play in mixed Arab-Israeli leagues.

Pearce was not present at the event and is not expected to earn a new contract after England’s hapless on-field performance in Israel.

“There will be a meeting in the next fortnight, definitely,’’ Bernstein confirmed.

His successor, Greg Dyke, will be involved. “The new chairman should definitely have a say,” Bernstein said. “I don’t want to tie the hands of my successor.”

Dyke is friends with Glenn Hoddle, the former senior-team coach being linked with the Under-21s job. Gareth Southgate, Phil Neville and Peter Taylor are also names in the frame.

Pearce has arguably stayed so long in the role – six years – because of the lack of alternatives. The level of high-class home-grown coaching options mirrors the dearth of players.

“One of the prime reasons for St George’s Park was to get more qualified coaches,” Bernstein said. “We have a fair number.

“Stuart’s record has been good, which is why this is particularly disappointing. His record in qualifying has been very good. He’s been pretty successful for us but this tournament hasn’t been a success. He’s done well over a long period, particularly with all the factors. He’s operated with quite a difficult hand.”

There is plenty for Dyke to tackle on the road to rescuing England, from the need for a winter break between the third and fourth rounds of the FA Cup, to nurturing mentally tougher players at academies, to finding a way to give the 18-21 generation more match-time to making the clubs more sympathetic to England needs.

“We need more quality players and we are aiming to change it over the coming years,” Bernstein said. “Club England and the FA generally need to look at how we prioritise these tournaments. There will be some things to learn from this.”

The lessons of another failed tournament are wearisomely familiar. The FA does not have a great track record of heeding those lessons.